Foot operator for electric controllers



Patented July 19, 1949 FOOT OPERATOR FOR ELECTRIC CONTROLLERS Eura A. Cope, Fairfield, Ala.

Application March 6, 1947, Serial No. 732,815

1 Claim.

This invention relates to electric controllers and more particularly to the manually operated levers therefor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide with a hand operated electric controller connections to a foot device whereby the controller can be operated by the feet as well as by the hand device.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a simple foot device arrangement adapted to be connected to the hand controller arm of an electric controller which is adapted as an attachment for any of the existing controllers, which is of simple construction, cheap to manufacture and install, and efiicient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the foot lever attachment and of the hand controller to which the same has been connected.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the foot device and of the controller,

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view showing a modified form of the invention wherein rods are used without chains and where the devices have been shifted to one side,

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of still another modified form of the invention wherein cables are used for making connection between the hand controller and the foot device,

Fig. 5 is a top plan view looking down upon the controller shown in Fig. 4 and upon the table connections with the handle thereof.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the arrangement set up for use with the foot pedal.

Referring now particularly to Figures 1 and 2, l0 represents a hand controller such as may be used in the operation of street cars or for other purposes wherein it is desired that the same at times be operated by the foot in order to free the hand for other operations or emergencies. The controller l0 may be supported upon a shelf ll raised above a floor l2 and on a well l3. The controller has the usual hand controller lever M with a ball handle IS on the top of the same. This lever I4 is pivoted at IE to the front face of the controller. On the upper part of the lever 14 is a member I I to which chains l8 and 19 are connected. These chains extend to the opposite sides of the controller and through ring openings 2| extending laterally from the sides of the controller and so that the chains will be extended down along the sides of the controller so as not to interfere with the same. On the lower ends of the chains there are connecting rods 22 which are in turn connected at their lower ends as indicated at 23 to a balanced foot lever device 24 pivoted at 25 to a pedestal 26 extending upwardly from the floor l2. The feet may be placed upon the lever 24 and by putting more weight on one side than the other the lever 24 will be tilted and take with it the end lever 14. Extending outwardly from the front of the controller casing I!) are stop elements 21 and 28. When the lever l4 has been tilted sufliciently it will engage one of these stop projections and be prevented from tilting further. At the top of the controller is a wear plate 29 over which the chain can be drawn and so that the controller casing will not be damaged.

Referring now to Figure 3, there is shown a modified form of the invention. The chains l8 and H! are dispensed with. Connected to the lever I4' near its pivot point [6 is a cross arm 3| upwardly offset at its intermediate portion as indicated at 32 so as to surround the pivot IE to permit the outer portions to lie in the same plane with the pivot axis Hi. This portion 32 is fixed by a clamp element 33 to the lever arm l4. The rods 22 are directly connected to the opposite ends of the cross arm as indicated at 34. The operation of the device by the foot lever 24 is the same as above described.

Referring now particularly to Figures 4 and 5, there is shown an arrangement whereby cables 35 and 36 are used for connecting the hand lever M with the foot lever 24. The cables are connected to the lug projections I! on the opposite sides of the handle and are extended downwardly and outwardly through rings 2|, but instead of being connected to rods as in the form of the invention Shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the cables extend downwardly for connection with the foot lever 24. The lug projections I! are formed by connecting a plate to the rear face of the hand lever l4 by means of a bolt 31, the operation of all of the forms of the invention is the same.

In Fig. 6 there is shown an arrangement more particularly adapted for use with the foot when the operator is in a sitting position. Lever 4| is operable between a stop 42 lying vertically above pivot point 43 of the lever 4| and a stop 44 offset to one side thereof. Foot pedal 45 is arranged at an angle, as shown, with the lever 4| in the vertically extended position and against stop 42. The ends of the foot pedal 45 are connected through a short cable 46 with lever H and a long cable 41 at the low point of the pedal 85 also with the lever 4|. The pedal 45 is now arranged as a foot rest and as its high point is pivoted downwardly, short cable 46 will pull lever 4| against stop 44.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

A foot attachment for an electric controller including a hand lever, comprising a pedestal adapted to be mounted on the floor, a balanced foot lever pivoted upon the pedestal and having portions adapted to receive the foot at opposite sides of the pivot, connecting elements extending upwardly from the opposite ends of the foot lever and means for connecting these elements to the hand lever, including means for keeping the upstanding elements laterally spaced from the sides of the controller said upstanding elements and the means for connecting'th'e same with the REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 263,644 Yeman Aug. 29, 1882 1,196,616 Thompson Aug. 29, 1916 

